I'm with rudy. I love baseball, just not as much as football/hockey. The NBA is just pathetic... hate the whole subjective nature of foul calls that completely alter the game and the degree to which the entire league is driven by the star players. Haven't gone to a game in forever, so I'm not sure about prices, but I do know that prices at Comerica or Joe Louis are absolutely insane for pretty much anything other than admission. I can get $15 tickets to most Wings home games (whenever they do student rush), but you're still paying upwards of $8 per beer and $5 for a slice of pizza and it's more of the same at Comerica (both Illitch owned teams, so there's that)... haven't been to Ford Field in years but they have much higher ticket prices and I assume the same food/drink prices... it's just insane but I know that Detroit is one of the worst for concessions prices around the country._________________

Loved the way y2 trivialized baseball... true true. I used to watch baseball many years ago, but after a while, grew bored of it.

Now BB, I also used to watch with a passion, but once the Bulls disbanded, I lost interest and it stayed that way. I suspect I could get back into it, but I admit, I'm whipped enough on my girl to not bring BB into the time war between football and her. Just stretched too thin to really bring another sport into it.

Never really got into hockey.. surprised at that, but not gonna start now._________________
"I can't get a life if my heart's not in it."
{ Noel Gallagher }

Trivializing baseball? Maybe, but they're athletes like golf players are athletes. They are certainly talented at what they do, but I don't trust any sport where you can lose 60 times and be considered to have just had an amazing season.

I still love the game of baseball. I used to be a great fan, but then Bud Selig and Jeffrey Loria sodomized my baseball team. I will forever cherish the 1994 season, when the Expos were by far the best team in the league and one of the greatest teams ever assembled, in my opinion. Our fifth starter would go simply go on to win 3 Cy Young awards.. and 4 of our relievers would go on to become feared closers (well, one already was). Our reserves would go on to become starters on other teams as well. But we were weak at 3rd base. And we didn't really require a catcher to be able to hit or run. And then... stupid player strike. Ended the dream, killed the team.

I'll also cherish Pedro Martinez's 1998 season, his first and best Cy Young-worthy season. He was magical. I watched everyone of his pitches., and I'd try to emulate him. I would try to get the same arc on my curveball, the same trailing down and away on my circle change, the same zip on my fastball (although I wouldn't throw it from 60'). I even wore my sleeve like him. But then... Jeffrey Loria, that weasel... ended the dream again.. truly killed the team, sold it to MLB (conniving with Bud), bought the Marlins and has been screwing the population of south florida up the arse ever since. Loria and his son-in-law David Samson.. I do not wish hell to anyone except Selig/Loria/Samson. Here's what former Seattle Mariners GM Bill Bavasi had to say about David Samson.

Quote:

"My mother always taught me that if the only thing you have to say is `[expletive] David Samson,' you shouldn't say anything at all. So I'm not going to say anything at all.''

I have watched one complete baseball game since 2005. It was Stephen Strasburg's first major league start. That kid is magical too. But I cannot love baseball the way I used to. The NHL has screwed me out of my hockey team too (the Québec Nordiques) and I still find myself a fan of the game of hockey. That's how screwed up MLB is.

Oh the strike Matt Williams was going to set some records at the plate that year._________________

Play 80 more games than any other sport and 10x amount of games than the NFL!

Baseball players play a game like 162 out of 180 days! Crazy!

Ummm, 1/2 of each game they're sitting on their [inappropriate/removed] and the other half is standing in the field much of the time. Thats not counting the pitching rotation where they're active some games and some not.

They're talented in exactly the right ways to be great baseball players, but they're still baseball players and it's ridiculous how much they get paid.

Well if you want to say that, all athletes are over paid!

I don't know why people try and use this argument for baseball, like they aren't athletes! Baseball players put in more work than any other sport period!

and 1/2 of the game NFL players are setting on their (&(!

not to mention where else is the 40 to 70 home game revenues and tv deals going too!?

Much like everyone else: NHL > NBA for starters, and I'll go so far as to say NHL > MLB. MLB is entirely meaningless until September, and before that it's just an excuse for lazy people to go outside and get some sun while watching a group of 7 people stand around and do nothing for most of the game, while two others play catch, 1 occasionally swings a stick at a ball, and then less than 30% of the time, a few of those involved (not all) will exert energy for a brief amount of time, sometimes for good reason, and other times for a simple predetermined few seconds where most of those involved can just jog because they know what they've just done was entirely useless.

Trivializing baseball? Maybe, but they're athletes like golf players are athletes. They are certainly talented at what they do, but I don't trust any sport where you can lose 60 times and be considered to have just had an amazing season.

Really? Please elaborate with examples to prove that the majority, if even a large percentage, of baseball players are not true athletes. That is such a terrible blanket statement. I love both football (NFL) and baseball (MLB) with a passion and can tell you that both are full of true athletes, but honestly if you wanted to talk about which league had the higher percentage of athletes I would definitely argue that the MLB does.

It is very rare that anyone not in shape ever makes it or shows success, and those that do are freak of nature athletes in how they can move agility wise (i.e. Pablo Sandoval, Prince Fielder). In football you have NT's and OL-men who are just pure mass and use their weight to block or eat up blockers. And while many are still athletic for their stature, they are still far from being seen as in shape and truly athletic. Then you have Punters and Kickers who most of the time are anything but an athlete and just their for their leg. Was Jeff Reed really that great of an athlete?

That's fine if you do not like the game of baseball because it is too slow for you, many people especially in America feel the same way about Soccer, but that does not mean that either sport is not athletic. I argue that Baseball is the best, hardest and most athletic sport there is for the fact that size is not as vital in it. In football and basketball you have absolutely no chance of making it if you do not meet the speed/weight/skill requirements for your height. You really have to be luckily born with the right size body paired with the perfect skills. However in baseball you see someone like Adam Dunn at 6'6" and then another like Jose Altuve at 5'6" both being able to get it done.

The argument it really depends on is how you see it; is it harder to get into the NFL because you have to be born to the right stature paired with the right ability? Or is harder to get into the MLB because literally anyone of any stature can make it?

Really? Please elaborate with examples to prove that the majority, if even a large percentage, of baseball players are not true athletes. That is such a terrible blanket statement. I love both football (NFL) and baseball (MLB) with a passion and can tell you that both are full of true athletes, but honestly if you wanted to talk about which league had the higher percentage of athletes I would definitely argue that the MLB does.

It is very rare that anyone not in shape ever makes it or shows success, and those that do are freak of nature athletes in how they can move agility wise (i.e. Pablo Sandoval, Prince Fielder). In football you have NT's and OL-men who are just pure mass and use their weight to block or eat up blockers. And while many are still athletic for their stature, they are still far from being seen as in shape and truly athletic. Then you have Punters and Kickers who most of the time are anything but an athlete and just their for their leg. Was Jeff Reed really that great of an athlete?

That's fine if you do not like the game of baseball because it is too slow for you, many people especially in America feel the same way about Soccer, but that does not mean that either sport is not athletic. I argue that Baseball is the best, hardest and most athletic sport there is for the fact that size is not as vital in it. In football and basketball you have absolutely no chance of making it if you do not meet the speed/weight/skill requirements for your height. You really have to be luckily born with the right size body paired with the perfect skills. However in baseball you see someone like Adam Dunn at 6'6" and then another like Jose Altuve at 5'6" both being able to get it done.

The argument it really depends on is how you see it; is it harder to get into the NFL because you have to be born to the right stature paired with the right ability? Or is harder to get into the MLB because literally anyone of any stature can make it?

It's a joke, dude. That's as best I can describe it. Watch a left fielder for the entire game, and tell me how athletic he looks for 90% of it. Would I call a kicker an athlete? No.

I played baseball. I know I stood around and did nothing for 90% of the game, or sat on a bench and waited to hold a stick and swing it. I'm not saying they aren't talented or gifted, and I enjoy watching live baseball (and taking in some sun) on occasion. But - I don't consider people who stand around and do nothing for 9/10 of the time athletes. It's a personal feeling based in comedy. That's all. Agree or disagree, there's nothing to really discuss in my mind._________________

Really? Please elaborate with examples to prove that the majority, if even a large percentage, of baseball players are not true athletes. That is such a terrible blanket statement. I love both football (NFL) and baseball (MLB) with a passion and can tell you that both are full of true athletes, but honestly if you wanted to talk about which league had the higher percentage of athletes I would definitely argue that the MLB does.

It is very rare that anyone not in shape ever makes it or shows success, and those that do are freak of nature athletes in how they can move agility wise (i.e. Pablo Sandoval, Prince Fielder). In football you have NT's and OL-men who are just pure mass and use their weight to block or eat up blockers. And while many are still athletic for their stature, they are still far from being seen as in shape and truly athletic. Then you have Punters and Kickers who most of the time are anything but an athlete and just their for their leg. Was Jeff Reed really that great of an athlete?

That's fine if you do not like the game of baseball because it is too slow for you, many people especially in America feel the same way about Soccer, but that does not mean that either sport is not athletic. I argue that Baseball is the best, hardest and most athletic sport there is for the fact that size is not as vital in it. In football and basketball you have absolutely no chance of making it if you do not meet the speed/weight/skill requirements for your height. You really have to be luckily born with the right size body paired with the perfect skills. However in baseball you see someone like Adam Dunn at 6'6" and then another like Jose Altuve at 5'6" both being able to get it done.

The argument it really depends on is how you see it; is it harder to get into the NFL because you have to be born to the right stature paired with the right ability? Or is harder to get into the MLB because literally anyone of any stature can make it?

It's a joke, dude. That's as best I can describe it. Watch a left fielder for the entire game, and tell me how athletic he looks for 90% of it. Would I call a kicker an athlete? No.

I played baseball. I know I stood around and did nothing for 90% of the game, or sat on a bench and waited to hold a stick and swing it. I'm not saying they aren't talented or gifted, and I enjoy watching live baseball (and taking in some sun) on occasion. But - I don't consider people who stand around and do nothing for 9/10 of the time athletes. It's a personal feeling based in comedy. That's all. Agree or disagree, there's nothing to really discuss in my mind.

I understand. I just believe that once you get beyond say the high school level of baseball that it becomes much more athletic as the rest are weeded out. I can guarantee you that a players body gets worn down when you start playing everyday, especially as a base stealer. I regret being fast.....I could never get the scabs on my knees to heal before reopening them, having to dive back into first 5 times every time I got on got really old (I seriously would ponder just telling the pitcher I promise I won't steal ), thank the lord I did not have to wash my own clothes until after I hung em up, but man do I miss playing CF......I was like a dog chasing a car. Baseball is a great sport and the fact that you have to be patient on defense just adds to the mental aspect of it which is what I loved so much.